Combined seed-planter and cultivator



(Model.) 3 sneak-.sheen1 J. H. JONES. i Combined Seed Planter andCultivetpr. N0. 239,799. Patented'April 5,1881.

(Model.) 3 sheds-sheet 2.

J. H. JONES. Combined Seed Planter` and Cultivator.

MPETERS, PHoTCrLITNOGRAFHER. WASHINGoN. D. C.

s sheets-sheet s.

(Model.)

J. PLJONES. Combined Seed Planter and Uulrtivatol.

No. 239,799. Patent'ed April 5, 18811.

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MFETERs PHDrO-LITHDGRAPHER WASHINGwN. D. C.

Y UNITED STATES JAMES H. JONES, OF ROOKFORD, ILLINOIS.

COMBINED'SEED-PLANTER'AND CUL'i'lvAToR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 239,799, dated April 5,1881.

Application filed June 15, 1880. (Model.) l

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES Hnnva JoNEs, of the city of Rockford, in thecounty of Winnebago and State of Illinois, have invented new and usefulSeed-Planter and Oultivator, of which the following` is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements inY which the carrying-wheel isomitted and somel of the parts are broken away to more clearly revealthe parts. Fig. 3 is a rear eleva-tion. Fig. 4 is an isometricalrepresentation of the seeding mechanism and of the parts immediatelyconnected therewith. Fig. 5 is an isometrical representation of one ofthe stirrerheads with stirrer-arms attached. Fig. 6 is a plan view oftheclutching mechanism and shifting-levers with the clutch in gear. Ofthis`plan view, Fig. 7 is al1-elevation with sprocket-wheel removed, and inwhich the position of the shifting-levers are shown. Fig. Sis a likeplan view of the same parts as shown in Fig. 6; but in this figure theclutch is out of gear. Of this plan view, Fig. 9 is an elevation withsprocketwheel removed, and in which the position of the shifting-leversis shown. Fig. l0 is a central section, showing the slipconnection ofthe master-wheel `of the gear-V train with the shaft. Fig. 1l is anisometrical representation of the seed or picking wheelsl and a portionof the hopper. Fig. 12 is a transverse section of the seed-spout ondotted line X ot Fig. 3.

In the gures, A represents an axle-tree, of suitable dimensions, havingfixed to its end portions axlearms B, which receive carryingwheels C,tted torevolve thereon. j

D are tongue-beams, having their rear ends joined to the axle-tree, fromwhich points they converge, meeting forward at acentral point, producinga suitable tongue. A cross-bar, E, is fixed to the under side of thetongue-beams,

forward of the axle-tree and parallel thereto. To the end portions ofthis cross-beam and to Vthe tongue-beams are fixed pendants F. The

levers, pivoted on supports rising from the' main frame, and Atheirforward portions are connected with the drag-bars, rearward of theirhinged connection with the pendants, by means of suitable hook -linkconnection, through which, by means ofthe levers, the drag-bars can beraised a nd lowered. The forward ends of the raising and lowering leversare fitted with an arm, projectingforward therefrom to engage the teethof ratchets K, fixed to the tonguebeams, from which they rise to receivethe arm projecting from the forward end of the levers, operating to holdthe beams at any elevation within the limits of the devices. The-upperportion of the lilik -conncction of the levers with the drag-bars are ofhook form, adapted to embrace the tongue-beams when the dragbars areraised, to limit the lateral swaying thereofin transportation.

At L are represented beams suitably joined at their rear ends, producinga V-formed frame, having a drivers seat, M, mounted on its rear end. Theforward portion of this seat-frame has its fulcrum-support on theaxle-tree, and its extreme forward ends, in advance thereof, are held inposition and made vertically adjustable to raise and lower the seat overits fulcrum-support by means of brackets N, fitted to engage the beams,and made vertically adjustable in their connection with the tonguebeams.Y

At .P are represented foot-supports, adjustably 'xed to the drag-bars toreceive the feetV of the operator, to enable him to control the lateralmovements of thedrag-bars. These several parts hereinbefore described,in their construction, arrangements, and operation, are substantiallythe same as like parts represent- IOO ed and described in my applicationfor improvements incultivator and seeder combined tiled in the UnitedStates Patent Office on or about April 15, 1880, and I do not thereforedeem it necessary to enter into a more detailed description of theseveral parts and. of their operation in this specification.

At lt is represented a seed box or receptacle, of rectangular form inplan, having a curved bottom semicircular in cross-section, having itscenter portion enla-rged in depth in barrel form, which, in connectionwith a rotary stirrer or agitator, operates to carry the seed to thecenter of the receptacle to subject it to the action of the seed-wheels.This seed-box is placed in the lengthwise center ot' thehereinbefore-described machine, forward of its axletree and Linder themain frame, having the axial center of its curved bottom crosswise ofthe machine and parallel with the axle-tree thereof, and in thisinstance is supported in position by means of a transverse bar, a,rectangular in cross-section, fixed to the forward side of the boxparallel with the axial center of its curved bottom.

At b are represented angle-brackets having their vertical arms fixed tothe transverse bar a on the'seed-box and their horizont-al arms fixed tothe cross-bar E of the main frame of the machine, which fixes theseed-box iirml y in position thereon.

At 0 are represented seed-distributin g or picker wheels, of disk form,about one-half of the periphery of which is formed with pickerteethresembling the teeth of a saw, and the remainder of their periphery isreduced to a circle about equal in diameter to the portion formingthebottom of the teeth. These wheels, suitably separated and placed withthe toothed portion of the one by the side of the plain portion of theother, are mounted on a shaft, d, to revolve therewith. This shaft d isfitted to revolve in suitable bearings fixed to the seed-box, in suchrelative position therewith that the seed-Wheels extend into theseed-box, entering through transverse slots e cut in its rear underportion. These transverse slots, on the inner surface of the curvedbottom, are provided with uprising cheek-pieces f, formed to protect thesides of the disk seed-wheels from 'the action of the seed in thehopper, and having their upper edge curved to coincide with theperiphery of the plain portion of the seedwheels. The space between theseed-wheels on the inside of the seed-box is fitted with a curved bar,h, which rises to coincide with the curve of the plain portion of theperiphery of the seed-Wheels. With this arrangementit Will be seen thatin the rotations of the disk seed- Wheels only the'toothed portionthereof will rise above the guards, consisting of the cheekpieces f andthe curved center bar, h, and that these portions will act uponthe seedcontained in the seed-box alternately on opposite sides.

The outer portion of the seed-wheel shaft is fitted with a gear-wheel,i, the teeth of which engage the teeth of a counter gear-wheel, i',mounted to revolve on a stud projecting from the end of the seed-box,and carrying a gearpinion, if', the teeth of which engage the teeth ofthe master gear-wheel 11"', mounted on the main driving shaft 7c, whichis' supported to revolve in the axial center of the curved bottom oftheseed-box in suitable bearings in its ends, and in a bracket-arm bearing,l, fixed to the end portion of the transverse bar a.

The relative size of the wheels of the geartrain connecting the seedingdevice with the driving-shaft will determine the distribution of theseed. These, however, may be varied, and additional sets may be made ofvarious proportions to meet the various requirements of the distributionof the seed. The mas- -ter-Wheel i, mounted on the shaft It, is

held in position thereon bya friction mechanism, to permit the shaft torevolve therein t prevent breakage when the parts of the seedingmechanism become clogged or otherwise disarranged. This frictionmechanism employed in this instance consists in the chambered hub m,provided with a curved spring, a, and a set-screw, 0, fitted to operateupon the spring to hold the wheel to the shaft with greater or lessforce as the screw is moved in' one or the other direction.

The outer end of the main driving-shaft k is provided with asprocket-toothed wheel, p, fitted to revolve loosely thereon, andcapable of a limited endwise-sliding movement on the shaft, and havingits hub end fitted in clutch form to engage a clutch-pin passed throughthe outer end of the shaft. The inner end portion of the hub of thissprocket-wheel is provided with an annular collar, p', which, inconnection with asbifting-lever, serves to hold the clutch disengaged.

At p and 19 are represented shifting-levers, pivoted at one end to thearm ofthe bracket-bearing l in such a manner that their free ends mayswing freely in a vertical plane. Ot' these the lever p is provided witha notch, 1', in its lower edge, adapted to receive the main shaftbetweenthe bracket-bearing and the inner end of the hub of thesprocket-wheel, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, which serves to hold theclutch engaged to impart motion to the shaft and to the seedingmechanism throughv its gear-train connection therewith. The lever p isprovided with a notch, r', in its lower edge, adapted to receive the hubof the sprocket-wheel between the collar p and the wheel, which servesto hold the clutch disconnected, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

At s is represented a seed-tube having a curved front wall, s', andopening iiaring side walls, s, producing a seed-tube open in its rear,and in cross-section of the form represented in the sectionalvicw atFig. l2, having the upper portions of its edges, as at t, formed toreceive the 'hinge-slidest, made vertically adjustable thereon by meansof a series of holesformed in the slides and in the IOO IIO

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'outturned edges t of the tube, adapted to receive a suitable screw-boltto fix them in position when adjusted. The upper end of the slides t aretitled with outward-projecting trunnions t, fitted to enter suitableperforations in ears t, which depend from the curved bottom of theseed-box, producing a hinged connection of the seed-tube therewith, topermit it to swing in the lengthwise direction of the machine.

At T is represented a furrow-opener, which in this instance is of knifeform, and is suitably xed in a vertical position to the front of theseed-tube, having its knife-edge forward.

At 1r is represented a brace, formed of like bars, havingtheir forwardopened ends joined by hinge connection ,to the seed-tube at a suitablepoint below its hinged connection with the seed-box.A The rear portionsof the bracebars are separated, having a hook or catchblock, u', placedbetween them at a suitable point, and fixed in position by a screw-boltpassed transversely through the bars and catchblock. 'This catch-blockextends below the bars, and produces ahook adapted to engagea transversebar, c", placed between the rearward portion of the drag-bars, havingits ends joined thereto by an eye-joint connection. This hookconnectionof the brace with the transverse bar serves to hold the seed-tubeelevated for transportation or other purposes requiring it to besuspended.

The brace-bars, rearward of their hook-block connection, are providedwith asafetyslipdiook connection, consisting of a lever-hook, n, fittedto engage the transverse bar, and are pivoted between the brace-bars ona suitable screw clamping-bolt, by means of which it may be held withgreater or less force. This safety slip-hook, when inthcpositionrepresented in the solid lines in Fig. 2, producing an acute angle withthe rear portion of the brace, serves to hold the seedtube against theearth-resistance in opening furrows to receive the seed, and when itmeets with rigid obstructions the increased resistance will cause thesafety-hook to turn on its pivot to the position in dotted lines, whichwill permit it vto slide over the transverse bar and permit the tube torise and pass the obstruction, when it can be readjusted in workingposition. By this construction and arrangement of the hinged secd-tube,having an open rear, and its relative arrangement with the seat, thedriver mounted thereon is enabled to detect irregularities in thedistribution of the seed.

At Tl is represented a sprocket-wheel, iixed to the carrying-wheel torevolve therewith, which is placed in the same vertical plane with thesprocketwheel p. These sprocket-wheels are connected by a chain-belt, w,havinglinks -l tted to engage the teeth thereof in sucha manner thattheforward `movement of the ma- `chine will ir'part motion to the seedingdcvices. Y i

At 'ab' are represented reel-heads mounted on the main shaft in theseed-box, one at each end thereof, fixed to revolve with the shaft.These reel-heads are fitted with arms w, extending lengthwise of theshaft, overlapping each other over the seed-wheels in the center of theseed-box, and Vare placed in such relative position with each other thatthe end portions ofthe arms of each head extend between the arms oftheopposite head, andthe several arms are of their-regular curved formrepresented in the drawings,iitted to agitate theseed from thechain-belt and the hinged seed-spout,or

by removing the seed-box and its appliances; and it is capable of use asa seed-planter, in which capacity it will only require the removal ofthe shovels connected with the drag-bars. It is also capable of use as aseeder and cul tivator to cover the seed, in which capacity the innershovels only will be required; or it is capable of use as a completescederand cultivator, in which capacity the complete machine as a wholemay be used.

In use as a cotton-seed planter the seed is placed in the seed-box andthe other parts of the lnachine properly adjusted. The machine is thenput in motion, and the forward movement thereof will produce a furrow toreceive the seed, and will put in motion the seedwheels, the teeth ofwhich, in their rotation, will engage the fibrous material remaining onthe seed alternately on opposite sides, and carry the seed, with theirmovement, through the openings in the curved bottom of the seedbox infront of` the 'seed-wheel, and deliver it into the seed-spout, throughwhich it descends into the opened furrow. This action ofthe seed-wheels,in connection with the alternate action of the stirrers from oppositesides, will prevent clogging or packing of the seed and insure a regularand uniform distribution thereof, and the cotton-fiber adhering to theseed, and heretoforethe greatest obstacle in the way of a uniformdistribution thereof Ithave utilized as a leading feature to insure amore uniform distribution of the seed than has heretofore been producedas known to me. With this distribution of the seed, in the onwardmovementof the machine the inner shovels will cultivate or stir theearth on each side of the furrow and cover the seed.

I claim as in v invention- 1. `The combination, with an axle, two tonguebeams, and a cross bar connecting the latter, of a seed-box locatedwithin the space formed by said parts, transverse bar a, secured to thefront of the box and extending IOC:

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beyond the latter at one side, and hangersdepending from the cross-barand connected to bar a, the side extension of the latter bar beingprovided with arm Z, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with drag-bars, means for maintaining them raised orlowered, and a cross bar connecting said drag bars, of a swingingseed-tube and a connecting device between the latter and said seed-tube,whereby the raising or lowering of the drag-bars operates tocorresl'iondingly swing the seedtube forward or backward, substantially'as set forth. y

3. The combination, with a master gearwheel for actuating aseeding-wheel and a driving-shaft, said master gear-wheel havingv itshub provided with a recess in its shaftbearing surface, ot' an archspring fitted in said recess and having its extremities bearing on theshaft, and a set-screw threaded in the longitudinal wall ot' the recessand having end bearing against the central arch portion of the spring,substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a seed-box having its bottom provided with twodepending ears, and hangers having longitudinal grooves, of a seed-tubeprovided with lateral flanges fitting in said grooves, and fasteningswhich secure the iianges in position, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with a seed-box having its bottom provided with twodepending ears, and hangers swinging from the latter and provided withgrooves on their rear sides, of a seed-tube provided with lateral iianges which iit in the grooves, and bolts securing the lian ges thereto,substantially as set forth.

6,. The combination, with a seed-box having its bottom provided with twodepending perforated ears, and hangers provided with lateral journalswhich fit in the perforations, of a seedtube having its upper rearportion formed with lateral a-nges fitting in grooves formed on the rearside ot' the hangers, and bolts which secure said flanges to thehangers, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with a seed-box and hangers depending therefrom, ofa seed-tube and adjusting mechanism for raising or lowering thelatter onsaid hangers, substantially as set forth.

S. The combination, with a swinging seedtube, a rearbrace connectedthereto, and a hook adaptedV tobe adjustably locked to the brace so asto withstand greater or less strain without turning on its pivot, ofdrag-bars, mechanism for maintaining them raised or lowered, and across-bar connected to the dragbars, the hook being adapted to'engagewith said cross-bar, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination, with a seed-box and an interior rotary shaft, of twoagitating-heads secured to the latter, each head being provided witharms whose extremities overlap the extremities of the arms of thecompanion head, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination, with a rotary shaft for actuating the seeddistributing mechanism and a drivin g-wheel having clutch-connectionwith the shaft, the hub of said wheel being provided with a collar, of ashifting -lever adapted to rest upon the axle at the outer side of saidhub-collar, and thereby maintain the wheel in clutch with the shaft,substantially as set forth.

11. The combinatiomwith a rotary-shaft for actuating the seeddistributing mechanism and a driving-wheel having clutch-connection withthe shaft, of a shifting-lever having its under side formed with arecess, iu which the axle fits as the lever rests upon the latter, saidlever having lateral bearings against the end ofthe hub and maintainingthe latter in clutch with its shaft, substantially as set forth.

12. The combinatiomwith a rotary shaft for actuating the seeddistributing mechanism and a driving-wheel having clutch-connection withthe shaft, said driving-wheel having the outer end ot' its hub providedwith a collar, of a shifting-lever pivoled to the machine-frame, andadapted,when swung over upon the hub, to bear laterally against theinner side, of the collar, and thereby maintain the wheel out of clutchwith its shaft, substantially as set forth.

13. The combinatit-nnwith a rotary shaft for actuating the seeddistributing mechanism anda driving-wheel having clutch-connection withthe shaft, the hub of the wheel being pro-' vided with a collar, of ashifting-lever pivoted to the machine-frame and having its under sideprovided with a recess, in which the hub. tits as the lever is swungdown upon the latf ter, said lever having lateral bearing againstV theinner` side of the collar, and thereby maintaining the wheel out ot'clutch with the shaft, substantially as set forth. Y

14. In a combined seeder and cultivator, the combination, with aseed-receptacle provided with a seed-distributing device, of an agitatorconsisting of heads of practically the same size and located at oppositeends of the seed receptacle, said heads having arms attached thereto,which extend practically at right angles to the revolving heads, thearms on each head being of greater length than onehalf the length of theseed-receptacle, substantially as set forth.

15. The combinatiomwith a seed-receptacle having elongated openingsformed in the central portion of its bottom, and cheek-pieces extendingupwardly 'on the outer edges of said openings, and a curved center-guardlocated between said openings, of disk-wheels mounted on the same shaftand arranged to project through sa-id`elongated openings, each of saiddisk-wheels having part of its periphery plain or toothless and theremaining portion provided with teeth, the disk-wheels being relativelyarranged on the shaft so that the plain portion of one disk will belocated in line with the toothed portion of the other Vdisk-wheel',substantially as set forth.

16. The combination, with the hub.- clutch IOS IlO

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connection ofthe sprocket wheel with the practically at right angles torevolving heads drivers shaft, of independent shifting-levers, locatedat opposite ends of the seed-receptcle,

operating to hold the sprocket wheel in or the arms attached to one headbeing arranged out of clutch-connection therewith as one or andconstructed to overlap the arms ofthe other 5 the other of the:l leversis employed, substanhead, substantially as set forth.

altlg asand for the purpose hereinbefore -set4 JAMES HERVA JONES 17. Thecombination,with a seed-receptacle l Witnesses: provided wit'hfaseed-distributing device, of an A.: O. BEHEL, ro agitator having curvedarms which extend J Aeon BEHEL.

